Female genital mutilation (FGM) prevalence is an estimated measure of the total number of women and girls living in a country at a given point in time who either have had or are at risk of FGM. It can be indirectly extrapolated from a country’s census data, based on population demographics of the number of women and girls who had originated from, or are born to mothers, from another country, where FGM is practised, combined with that country of origin’s FGM prevalence data source.  

The exact number of girls and women impacted by FGM worldwide is unknown. UNICEF (2024) and UNFPA (2025) estimate that  

• at least 230 million living girls and women have had FGM 
• another 27 million are projected to have it by 2030 
• 4.4 million girls are at risk of being impacted by FGM annually.  

FGM is practised in at least 92 countries. It is largely prevalent in over 30 African countries (over 144 million cases), parts of the Middle East (6 million cases), Asia (over 80million cases) and practised in smaller numbers in certain indigenous communities in Latin American countries. Somalia Djibouti, Guinea and Sierra Leone have the highest rates.  

With large-scale human migration, FGM spread widely across continents to Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. It is estimated that 600,000 women and girls are living with FGM in Europe, and a further 190,000 are at risk (United Nations, 2025).  

The UK context 

Prevalence rates in the United Kingdom (UK) vary greatly across geographical regions depending on a region’s population composition and on how well FGM data is reported and analysed. Women and girls affected by FGM may be British nationals whose parents settled in the UK from FGM practising countries. Alternatively, they may have come to the UK as migrants, asylum seekers or international students and have residency status. 

England and Wales 

The 2011 census data estimated a significant growth in people with FGM in England and Wales, from approximately 66,000 women aged 15-49 in 2001 to 103,000 in 2011. 24,000 women aged 50 years and above were estimated to have FGM, and 10,000 girls aged 0-14 years either had, or were at risk of FGM. Estimates are not available from the 2021 census data, and yet with ongoing migration numbers are likely to have grown significantly.  

Since 2014, The Department of Health in England mandated that all healthcare trusts and primary care practices collate and report individual-level data, about women and girls in England who accessed healthcare services because of FGM. This is undertaken via the national FGM Enhanced Dataset database (SCCI 2026), Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) Female Genital Mutilation - NHS England Digital. In Wales, mandatory data collection is not required. 

Scotland 

There is limited data about FGM in the Scottish population. Research undertaken by Bailot et al. (2014) for the Scottish Refugee Council estimated that 24,000 people had originated from FGM-practising countries. Although this study was instrumental in providing baseline data to inform the national FGM intervention strategy, it was conducted over 10 years ago and can no longer be a true reflection of the migrant population. At the time of writing, the 2022 Scottish census data have not yet been studied for migrant and FGM-related data.  

Northern Ireland  

Mackle et al. (2018) reported a lack of published accessible prevalence data for Northern Ireland (NI). This is still the case in 2025, restricting understanding of the scale of the issue to inform health and social care service provision. The NI population is growing in diversity. Census data revealed that people of other national identities (from outside of the UK and Ireland) increased from 61,900 in 2011 (3.4% of the population) to 113,400 (6.0% of the population) in 2021 and has likely continued to grow since then. However, predicted FGM prevalence rates are not extrapolated from the NI census data.   

Ireland  

AkiDwA - Akina Dada wa Africa - is a national network of migrant women. They applied statistical methods to the 2006 Irish census data, modelled against international data, to estimate an Ireland FGM prevalence rate of 2,585 women. That figure increased to 3,780 in the 2011 census data, with further escalation to 5,790 women in the 2016 census data. The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) estimated in 2022 that 1,632 girls in Ireland were at risk of FGM and that Grevio (Council of Europe) reported a significant 370% increase in demand for Dublin’s FGM clinic compared to 2021. This was associated with rising migration from FGM-practising countries (Ryan, 2024).   

Limitations of FGM prevalence data 

FGM is a deeply sensitive subject and is a criminal offence in some countries. Secrecy, lack of trust, language barriers, and culturally insensitive systems can lead to under-reporting if women and girls perceive consequences for themselves, their families and communities.  Methods for collecting FGM data vary across countries and organisations, creating methodological limitations.  

Data about FGM in migrant populations is generally not collected in a census. Therefore, FGM prevalence rates are extrapolated from the census in relation to the country of origin and thus may end up being an under or over-estimate. Furthermore, many countries, including the UK, only undertake 10-yearly censuses, although Ireland has a five-year census. Prevalence rates may change significantly between one census survey point and the next one a decade later, constraining adequate planning of responsive services. However, repeated surveys can offer useful retrospective trend analysis of prevalence rates to provide national and international evaluation of the effectiveness of education and prevention strategies over the decade.  

Data can also be gathered from referrals to safeguarding teams about girls at risk and from the record of the numbers of women and girls with FGM who accessed healthcare services. As useful as this type of data is it does not capture all girls and women living with or at risk of FGM in a country who are not referred to safeguarding and who do not access services.   

The Bottom line 

Accurate data is dependent on mandatory reporting, joined up interagency working, and accessible services and pathways. The Women and Equalities Commission (2025) have called on the UK government to commission research to develop a timely and accurate system of FGM data collection. Such an evidence-based system gathering both population-level and individual-level data should be applied across the UK nations, and indeed, to go one step further, an agreed European and UK system for gathering accurate FGM prevalence rates would enable an all-Ireland and UK approach leading to improved access to the data for comprehensive, responsive and effective service planning and delivery.  

Further Resources 

• World FGM prevalence map – National FGM Centre
• FGM and Health Consequences Infographic 2022

Advice

• Talk to your GP: you can talk them about the feelings you are having, and they may refer you to specialist services if they feel it will help you.
• Health care professionals may have access to support resources through their professional bodies and employing organisations.
• Students will have access to support resources on their university website.